November 21st, CEER 312, 1:30 pm to 2:30 pm.
VCASE is proud to host the upcoming lecture series,
“Identifying New Paradigms in Crystal Engineering for
Catalysis and Biomedical Applications,” by Jeffrey D.
Rimer, PhD; Ernest J. and Barbara M. Henley Assistant
Professor of Chemical Engineering, University of Houston
In this talk, Dr. Rimer will show how they use growth modifiers to control crystallization in two
distinctly different, yet fundamentally similar, research areas. In the first part of the talk, he will
discuss their work on the development of therapeutic drugs for pathological and infectious
diseases, focusing primarily on the design of peptide inhibitors of calcium oxalate monohydrate,
the most prevalent constituent of human kidney stones. In the second part of his talk, he will
discuss how they are using modifiers as a bio-inspired approach to tailor the properties of
zeolites, which are microporous materials utilized in many commercial processes (e.g. catalysis
and ion-exchange). His group employs zeolite growth modifiers (ZGMs) to selectively tune
crystal size, morphology, and surface architecture. Dr.Rimer will discuss how they select ZGMs
and characterize their efficacy and specificity using techniques that probe macroscopic to
molecular scales. He will also emphasize the benefits of this facile approach for catalytic
applications in fuels and chemicals, and discuss its broader applicability for the synthesis of
other materials.
Speaker Bio
Dr. Jeffrey D. Rimer is the Ernest J. and Barbara M. Henley Assistant Professor of Chemical
Engineering at the University of Houston. Rimer received his Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering
from the University of Delaware in 2006. Prior to joining the Department of Chemical and
Biomolecular Engineering at Houston in 2009, he spent two years as a postdoctoral fellow at
New York University’s Molecular Design Institute within the Department of Chemistry. Rimer’s
research in the area of crystal engineering focuses on the rational design of materials with
specific applications in the synthesis of microporous catalysts and the development of
therapeutics for pathological and infectious diseases. Rimer has received several awards,
including a fellowship from the Welch Foundation, the ACS Doctoral New Investigator Award,
and the NSF CAREER Award. He was also a recent recipient of the Junior Faculty Research
Excellence Award from the Cullen College of Engineering at the University of Houston.
Location: November 21st, CEER 312, 1:30 pm to 2:30 pm. The talk will be recorded. To watch it
live, visit www.villanova.edu/vcase